Viivi Vainikka on Staying Grounded, Representing Finland, and the Pursuit of the PWHL

Viivi Vainikka on Staying Grounded, Representing Finland, and the Pursuit of the PWHL

This week on the show, I'm joined by Viivi Vainikka, Finnish national team member and forward with Brynäs IF of the SDHL, as she shares her journey from Espoo, Finland, where she started playing the game as a way to spend time with friends to becoming a star in the Swedish league. Viivi talks about how her competitive nature helped her to discover a passion for hockey, how that passion drove her to make the leap to Naisten Liiga, the top league in Finland, when she was only 15 years old, and how she's continued to see success at every step of the way, including internationally. We also discuss why she spent an extra season in the SDHL before declaring for the upcoming PWHL Draft, and why now is the right time for her to take the next step and play in the best league in the world. Discover more at www.rinksiderundown.ca [http://www.rinksiderundown.ca], and follow the podcast on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rinksiderundownpod [https://www.instagram.com/rinksiderundownpod].

Charlotte Sonntag on Family, Finding Home at Holy Cross, and Carving Her Path To The Pros

On this week's episode of Rinkside Rundown, I'm joined by College of Holy Cross standout forward Charlotte Sonntag as we skate our way through her journey from Sun Valley, Idaho, through the Shattuck St Mary's organization to her record-setting collegiate career with Holy Cross. We talk about the important lessons Charlotte learned during her junior career and how they helped set her up for a collegiate career that saw her leave a lasting legacy on the ice while successfully balancing an academic career away from it. We also discuss Charlotte's excitement for the upcoming PWHL Draft and the preparation she's putting in to achieve her ultimate goal of playing professional hockey alongside the best in the world. Discover more at www.rinksiderundown.ca [http://www.rinksiderundown.ca], and follow the podcast on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rinksiderundownpod [https://www.instagram.com/rinksiderundownpod].

Yale University's Carina DiAntonio on Childhood Dreams, Leadership, and Turning Pro in the PWHL

This week on Rinkside Rundown, I'm joined by forward Carina DiAntonio, captain at Yale University, to discover more about her journey from the outdoor rinks in Mississauga, ON, where she was an active kid who wanted to be just like her sister and play hockey, to becoming captain at Yale, and preparing for the upcoming PWHL Draft. We talk about the leadership experience she gained during her junior career with the Brampton Jr Canadettes, the lessons she's learned through her four years at Yale University, and what it would mean to have the opportunity to play professionally in the PWHL. This is an exciting episodes with one of the most reliable and effective forwards in the NCAA, and a name that you'll definitely want to know heading into this year's PWHL Draft. Discover more: www.rinksiderundown.ca [http://www.rinksiderundown.ca] Follow the podcast https://www.instagram.com/rinksiderundownpod [https://www.instagram.com/rinksiderundownpod].

Thea Johansson on Sweden, NCAA hockey, and the PWHL Draft

Thea Johansson, a forward at the University of Minnesota Duluth, joins Rinkside Rundown to talk about her path from Sweden to NCAA hockey and now toward the 2026 PWHL Draft. Read and subscribe at www.rinksiderundown.ca [http://www.rinksiderundown.ca]. Growing up in a competitive athletic family in Sweden, Thea was surrounded by sport and learned early how to train, compete, and handle pressure while still enjoying the game. She walks through her early years in the SDHL, what it meant to leave home for Mercyhurst University, and how transferring to Minnesota Duluth challenged her and helped her grow as both a player and a person at the NCAA level. Thea also reflects on her mindset and professionalism, the skills she has worked to refine, and what she took from her time with the Swedish national program, including Olympic dreams and the reality of chasing them. With the 2026 PWHL Draft ahead, Thea also shares how she is preparing for that next step, what excites her about the opportunity, and the advice she would give younger players: have fun, be in the moment, be curious, ask questions, and remember that you love this sport for a reason. Discover more at www.rinksiderundown.ca [http://www.rinksiderundown.ca] Follow the podcast on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rinksiderundownpod [https://www.instagram.com/rinksiderundownpod]

Meg Simon: Middlebury’s Hockey Humanitarian

Visit Meg's Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/madebymegsimon14 [https://www.etsy.com/shop/madebymegsimon14] Middlebury College forward and 2026 Hockey Humanitarian Award winner Meg Simon joins Rinkside Rundown to share how a life spent around the game shaped who she is on and off the ice. From moving more than 50 times for her dad’s pro hockey career and growing up in NHL locker rooms, to coming to Middlebury as a golfer and betting on herself to join the women’s hockey team, Meg’s path has been anything but typical. We talk about the team culture she fell in love with, the community work inspired by watching her parents use their platforms to give back, and how she now tries to be “more than just a hockey player” for the kids and community around her. She also opens up about homesickness, finding home in a small Vermont town, running a little Etsy shop on the side, and the three simple rules from her parents that still guide everything she does: play fair, play hard, have fun, and be a good person. Since our conversation, Meg was named the 2026 Hockey Humanitarian Award recipient, and you discover more here: https://hockeyhumanitarian.org/news/middlebury-colleges-meg-simon-named-2026-hockey-humanitarian-award-recipient/ [https://hockeyhumanitarian.org/news/middlebury-colleges-meg-simon-named-2026-hockey-humanitarian-award-recipient/] Discover more at www.rinksiderundown.ca [http://www.rinksiderundown.ca] Follow the podcast on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rinksiderundownpod [https://www.instagram.com/rinksiderundownpod]